This Is Great

"Okay. Alright, I'll see ya later!" Joan grinned at some friends, then she stumbled back through the crowd. "Hey!" She yelled at her friend Steve. He looked up at her. "Seen Sandy?" She asked.

"Over there, man." Steve pointed to the corner, where Sandy was making out with some random guy. This was not usual Sandy-like behavior.

Something was wrong.

Her smile fading, Joan made her way over.

"Hey, guys, break it up." She said, pulling the couple apart. The guy, who had an unkempt beard and looked way to old to be with a teenage girl, stared at her angrily; Sandy just gave her a tipsy, goofy grin. She had dark circles under her eyes and her balance seemed off. Joan knew she was totally wasted.

"...She's drunk." Joan said finally, addressing the guy. "Quit taking advantage of her."

"Whatever." The guy muttered, and then he wandered away. Joan took ahold of Sandy's arm.

"C'mon, Sandy, we need to get you back to the hotel." She said, pulling her friend along.

"What? Where'd Paul go?" Sandy asked cluelessly.

"Sandy, did you even know that Paul was his name?"

"Who's Paul?"

"Hey Joan!" Steve's voice called. Joan turned to see her friend holding a camera. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just gonna get her some coffee." Joan said, nodding.

"Good. I didn't like the looks of that guy she was with."

"Me either. But cut her some slack, she's going through a rough patch. Sometimes she just gets carried away." Joan said.

"Ugh." Sandy moaned, and then she collapsed; Joan caught her before she hit the floor.

"My God, you really gotta get her somewhere!" Steve said, concerned.

"I was gonna take her to the hotel." Joan said, placing Sandy's arm around her shoulder to give her more support.

"You want me to drive you?"

"Nah, it's cool, the hotel's just a block away-" Joan heard a click and a flash. "-What're you doing?"

"Just takin' a picture." Steve shrugged. "But seriously, get goin'. It looks like she's gonna be sick."

Despite the fact that she'd been smiling just a few seconds ago, Sandy now looked sick to her stomach.

"Okay." Joan sighed. "C'mon, Sandy... See ya, Steve."

"Bye, Joan."

Joan helped Sandy out of the building, and they began walking down the block. And thankfully, eventually the sickness seemed to disappear from Sandy's face. But she was still pretty unstable, so Joan had to hold her very close just to keep her on her feet. It was cold out, so Joan found herself being grateful for Sandy's warmth so close to her. However, she also found herself having urges that she'd never had before- ones that had to do with her and Sandy and no one else.

"Where are we going?" Sandy suddenly murmured into Joan's ear, sending shivers down her body.

"To the hotel." She answered, staring down at the cold cement of the sidewalk.

"To do what?" Sandy asked. Joan's heart pounded. Her mind flew through the possibilities, and butterflies filled her stomach when she realized the gravity of her feelings towards Sandy.

"Whatever you wanna do." She whispered.

They stepped into the lobby of the hotel and headed for the elevator. With a jolt, Joan remembered that she and Sandy were sharing a room this time around. In some kind of daze, she hit the elevator button. The doors slid open. They boarded it, and Joan pushed the 10th floor button. The doors closed. They were completely alone. Then, shocking her out of her fantasies, she felt Sandy's lips against hers. The blonde pushed her against the elevator wall and kissed her hard, taking Joan's face in her hands;

Joan hesitated.

Although Joan knew Sandy was drunk... Could she really pass this opportunity up? Could she really avoid being a hypocrite? Could she really resist Sandy?

...The answer was no.

She gave in and kissed back, one hand wandering to Sandy's hair, the other arm wrapping around her waist. She felt the softness of Sandy's tongue in her mouth, and her lower half throbbed. The elevator doors opened and they pulled apart. Slowly, Sandy pulled Joan by the hand out of the elevator and to their room. And when they got there, they kissed again, and they sunk down onto the bed. Joan was unable to control herself, and soon enough she pulled off Sandy's pants, slowly beginning to rub. And things went farther from there. But eventually they fell asleep.

Joan woke up in the morning feeling sick. She sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes, stretching out her legs. But she froze when her ankle brushed against something; another ankle. Her eyes slowly looked over to see a body laying next to her in the bed. A girl's body.

Sandy's body.

Her stomach lurched.

What had happened last night? They were both only lacking pants, so maybe not THAT much had happened, but still, SOMETHING had happened. And she wasn't even sure wether or not she regretted it.

She stared down dumbly as she saw Sandy's eyes begin to open. Her friend looked up at her, exhausted and clueless.

"Hey." Sandy said, yawning. Then, as she noticed her and Joan's lack of pants, her eyes shot open. "Wait- what happened? Joan- what the fuck did we do?!"

"I'm sorry, Sandy, I'm really really sorry, please forgive me!" Joan began to beg.

"Why? What did you do?"

"Well, uhm- You were kinda wasted." Joan admitted as Sandy's face flooded with horror. "You were wasted and I couldn't... Control myself, I guess."

"What do you mean CONTROL yourself?" Sandy asked, her expression unreadable.

"I don't know." Joan shook her head. "I was feeling attracted to you, okay? I mean, I really, REALLY wanted you..."

"Your breath smells!" Sandy continued, the horror in her eyes becoming more and more evident. "You did THAT to me?! Oh, GOD..." She moaned, and flashbacks of last night filled Joan's mind; flashbacks of Sandy saying that very same thing- but in a much different kind of moan. Joan swallowed.

"Come on, I said I'm sorry. Please, PLEASE forgive me." She said quietly.

"I'm..." Sandy trailed off. "I'm not sure what to say."

"Im not expecting you to be." Joan sighed. "I'm just sorry."

The room was silent for a few moments.

"It's... Fine." Sandy said after a while, standing up and picking her pants up from the floor, pulling them back on. "Just don't do it again unless I'm sober. Okay?"

"Yeah." Joan said quickly. "But- wait. Unless your sober? Does that mean...?" She trailed off. Sandy just smiled.

"You never know, y'know?" She asked. Joan grinned.

"Yeah. You never know." She responded. Then, to Joan's surprise, Sandy leaned down and kissed her. They pulled apart, both smiling.

"Soundcheck." Sandy said brightly. "You'd better get ready. I'll meet you in the lobby."

"Okay." Joan smiled. Sandy grinned back, then she left the room. When she heard the door close, she sighed out in relief. What a great friend she had.

And thirty years later, as Joan stares at the photograph Steve took, all she can do is smile. She scribbles a message onto it; 'This Is Great.'

Because it was.